Bird feeder



April 1, 1952 L.. A. BRECK, JR 2,591,126

` BIRD FEEDER Filed Feb. l2, 1951 liz ven on Zut/e7 A rec/z; J2.;

Patented Apr. 1, 1952 BIRD FEEDER Luther A. Breek, Jr., Wellesley, Mass., assignor to Bandwagon Manufacturing, Inc., Boston, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application February 12, 1951, Serial No. 210,593

3 Claims.

This invention relates to bird feeders and is more particularly concerned with a new and improved hanging type bird feeder of improved and simplified construction.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a new and improved hanging type of bird feeder provided with a transparent feed container of the inverted bowl variety which is firmly held underneath the roof or canopy portion and in which the feed tray is adjustable toward and away from the open mouth of the feed container so as to lock the parts tightly during shipment when in one position and to permit the flow of feed onto the pan when in operative position.

Other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals refer to like parts in the several views and in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view with portions of the canopy broken away revealing the feed tray underneath;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same partly in section showing the improved arrangement of the feed container and tray; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view of the canopy holding means which also provides a ring by which the feeder may be hung.

Referring now to the several figures of the drawings, the metallic roof or canopy member Ill is generally circular in contour and pitched in the form of a shallow cone. Reinforcing ribs I2 are provided to strengthen the canopy and assure that it will not be bent out of shape. The roof I is also provided with a central aperture I4 to accommodate the retaining means hereinafter described.

The feeder proper consists of a metal feed tray or pan I6 and an inverted transparent feed container I8 which is preferably composed of transparent and weather-proof plastic such as one of the acrylic plastics. The pan I6, container I8, and roof I0 are all mounted on a central supporting post which is provided near its upper end with a radially extending flange 22 for holding the container I 8. The latter has a central opening in its inverted bottom to accommodate the upper end of the post 20, the lip of this central opening resting on and being supported by the flange 22. The upper end of the post 20 is provided with a threaded socket 24 to receive a ringbolt 26 by means of which the feeder may be suspended from a branch or the like. The ring-bolt carries a locking nut 28 and a lock Washer 30 2 which assist in clamping the canopy I securely to the upper end of the post 20, as most clearly seen in Fig. 3.

In order to lock the inverted container IB more securely against accidental displacement, the underside of the canopy I0 is provided with an annular reinforcing member 32 which is ailixed by welding or brazing, as at 34, to the conical roof. This annular reinforcing member has inwardly extending portions which form a round socket exactly tting the external circumference of the container I8 near its inverted bottom, as seen in Fig. 2. Thus, when the feed container I3 is locked in place by the clamping assembly shown in Fig. 3, it is held against tilting by the annular support 32.

The pan i6 is adjustable to two positions on the post 20, the latter being provided with two cotter pin openings 36 near its lower end. The tray is also provided with a frusto-conical attachment 38 ail'xed at its center, having a central opening aligned with the central opening in its bottom to receive the lower end of the post 20,. A cotter pin may be inserted through either opening 36, and as shown in Fig. 2, the Cotter pin is in the lower opening and holds the pin in its lower position, permitting the flow of grain or other bird feed from the downwardly directed open mouth of the container I8 suspended above it. For packing purposes the tray I6 may be shifted to its upper position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, where the rim 40 of the container I8 engages the bottom of the pan I 6, thus locking the latter against motion in any direction during shipment, to eliminate undue strain and wearing of the parts in transit.

In order to protect the feet of the feeding birds in freezing weather, the rim of the pan. I6 is provided with a vinyl plastic covering 42 forming a perch so that the birds will not become frozen to the feeder.

It will be observed that the foregoing construction according to the invention provides a novel and improved bird feeder in which grain or other feed is viewable through a transparent reservoir and which is provided with a canopy to protect the feed tray from the elements; furthermore, the several parts are readily fabricated and assembled and held together in a rugged and simple manner, the feed tray being adjustable to feeding position and also to a position locking all the parts against movement to prevent wear and motion during shipment.

While I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that the same is capable of various modifications and changes within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Y

I claim:

1. A bird feeder comprising, in combination, a central supporting post having a radially extending flange near its upper end, a centrally apertured generally `conical canopy resting upon the upper end of said post, a locking device-attachable to the upper end of said post through said canopy aperture for locking said canopy thereto, a feedtray having a central opening for said post, attaching means for attaching Said tray to said post at either of two levels close to the lower end thereof,`and an inverted transparent open mouthed feed reservoir having a central aperture in its inverted bottom to receive said post and suspended on said ange by the rim of its said tured circular pitched canopy resting upon the upper end of said post, a clamp attachable to the vupper end of said post through said aperture for locking said canopy thereto, said clamp having a ring by which said feeder may be suspended, a feed tray having a central opening for said post and attachable thereto by means of a cotter pin inserted through one of said openings, said tray being settable at two different levels as determined by said openings, and an inverted transparent open mouthed feed reservoir having a central aperture in its inverted bottom to receive said post and suspended on said flange by the rim of its said aperture, said reservoir being so proportioned that the bottom of said tray when the latter is in its upper position will firmly engage the mouth of said reservoir to prevent relative movement of the parts during shipment and the bottom of said tray when the latter is in its lower position will be spaced from the same to permit flow of bird feed therefrom.

3. A device in accordance with claim 2 including a steadying bracket mounted on the wunder# side of said canopy a'nd extending inwardly toward said post and engaging the wall of said reservoir to assist in locking said vreservoir against tilting movement.

LUTHER A. BRECK, JR.

No references cited. 

